


Many Many Many Moons Ago on the Roof of the GCPD, 3 AM

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: Bits and Bats and Bobs [1]
Category: Batman (Comics), Doctor Who
Genre: Gen, crossovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 00:18:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13088475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: "Life's all about choice, see."





	Many Many Many Moons Ago on the Roof of the GCPD, 3 AM

“You know,” the man with the funny ears and leather jacket says. He calls himself the Doctor. “I love hot dogs. I’d forgotten. Meat in a tube, a bit of ketchup. Fantastic.”

Dick Grayson is fourteen, and he grins as he eats his own hot dog. They’d fought aliens tonight! Batman, Robin and the Doctor fighting a real alien invasion.

The Doctor nudges him a little as they look out at the city. “You did great, by the way. You, Richard Grayson, are brilliant, and if I wasn’t so certain that Bruce would crack my head against a sidewalk, I’d ask you to come along with me.”

“Where?” Dick asks, looking at him. He knows he’s got ketchup on his nose, but he’s not bothered.

“Anywhere,” the Doctor tells him. “All of time and space, that’s what I’ve got. We could go anywhere.”

Dick’s eyes light up. “That sounds amazing!”

“It is,” the Doctor says. “But you’ve got your old dad to think about, and you’re a bit young. You act like your full-grown sometimes, but you’ve got a lot of life ahead of you, Dick.”

“He’s not my dad,” Dick mutters.

“Oh, yes he is,” the Doctor argues. “Maybe not on paper. Maybe not genetically, but he’s your dad, whether you like it or not. You’re stuck with him.”

Dick sighs and stares at his hot dog. He knows the Doctor is right, but he’s not sure how he feels about it.

They sit in silence for a long moment, while the Doctor finishes his hot dog, but when he’s done, he turns to Dick.

“I’m gonna give you a piece of advise,” the Doctor tells him. “And I want you to listen very, very closely.”

Dick frowns, but nods. “Okay. What is it?”

“Life is gonna think it’s very funny,” the Doctor says. “It’s not, but it thinks it is. It’s gonna throw you for all kinds of loops and curves and it’s gonna throw punches, like those thugs you and Batman fight with. Now, Bruce, he’s let those loops and curves and punches get to him. Turn him sad and dark and lonely. But you don’t have to be that way.”

Dick frowns as he thinks about this. “I don’t.”

“That’s right,” the Doctor says, poking him in the shoulder. “You don’t. You can be whatever you want. You can smile and make your silly jokes that you love so much and that’s okay. Don’t you ever, and I mean ever, let anyone tell you it’s not. Life’s gonna change you. Life changes everyone. But you shouldn’t let it destroy who you are.”

“Is that really what happened to Bruce?” Dick asks curiously.

The Doctor nods. “Bruce Wayne was a little boy just like all other little boys. He liked action movies and ice cream and getting his knees dirty.”

“We don’t watch a whole lot of movies,” Dick says. “We mostly train, and Bruce works. And he mostly drinks protein shakes that look like throw-up.”

“Life’s all about choices, see,” the Doctor says. “He says life made him this way, but he chose to let it.” 

Dick takes a big bite of hot dog. “Those protein shakes are gross. Even Alfred says so.”

The Doctor grins and ruffles his hair. “They are gross. You gonna remember what I said?”

Dick grins at him. “Remember what you said when?”

The Doctor snorts and gives him a playful shove. “Go on with you, I’m sure your old dad’s just about ready to go.”

“You’re not gonna say goodbye?” Dick asks.

“You tell him I said goodbye,” the Doctor says.


End file.
